Who am I?

I have spent my entire life in the 12th district of Maryland. Here, I grew up, went to school, got married, raised a family, taught, and have served this district and the greater Maryland community. My professional life is inseparable from my personal life. While teaching mathematics at Wilde Lake High School, I met my wife, Tara, a biology teacher. Our three children, Caroline, Rebecca, and James, are working closely with me during this campaign.

Born to a family of teachers, I am an alumnus of Baltimore County Public Schools. I graduated summa cum laude from University of Maryland, College Park, later returning to obtain my Masters of Science in Math Education. I have been an instructor, advisor, and mentor for thousands of students and a leader of teachers in my 33 years as a teacher in Howard County Schools. I have been an active member of my church and volunteer with many local community activities. I continue to volunteer my time to local, national, and international charitable organizations such as homeless shelters, food banks, and medical aid facilities.

My life experiences and commitment to service give me an intimate understanding of the challenges Maryland faces. My focus as a legislator will be on our children’s education, our economy, and our environment. I look forward to serving the community in this new way as state delegate and appreciate everyone’s support as we reach for Annapolis together.

Why am I running?

After many years of giving serious consideration to the idea of seeking and serving in public office, I am energized that the time has finally come. The time is right. This is the perfect storm. The 12th district of Maryland needs leaders to replace the incredible delegates who are currently serving, but are moving on. And, after over 33 years of service to this community as a public school teacher, I am ready to fill that need and embark on a new way to serve the community. I have the leadership skills to be an effective and innovative legislator and I want to use those skills to better the lives of those who live here. I know the challenges ahead. Never has the connection between a strong education and a strong economy been more apparent. The far reaching role of education as the basis for a strong economy, a better job market, and greater opportunity for our children needs to be articulated in a knowledgeable manner. With my unique perspective as a teacher and leader in public education, I will provide that confident voice. I know it will take a lot of hard work. I have enjoyed working hard in my professional and personal life. I know it will take passion. My passion for teaching and my family have never been stronger and I will tap that passion in this new endeavor in the days ahead. I look forward to turning that passion into a success next June and, then, next November and then, of course, as I represent District 12 in the legislature.

My Goals

Ensuring Education: Maryland has developed some of the best schools in the nation. We must look to balance accountability and innovation in our schools to attract and retain the best teachers, providing the highest quality education for our children.
Economic Empowerment: Educational excellence ensures economic prosperity. Our state has a robust business environment because we train our workforce for a rapidly changing professional landscape. Our district is home to hundreds of flourishing businesses and employees that must be protected.
Environmental Sustainability: The environment is not only vital to Maryland’s economy, but also for our quality of life and public health. Protecting the Bay and our natural resources supports businesses that rely on them and brings more business to the state, while providing for our children’s future.

My DFA Values

My belief system is driven by equity. I believe in equal rights and equal opportunities for people of all groups. In fact, I do not believe that the group labels we apply to individuals should have any bearing on their potential access to and success in our community. Everyone should have a fair shot at a productive and happy life.

We need to commit to the idea that all students can learn and ensure that all are afforded the opportunity regardless of their socioeconomic standing, lest we squander potential contributors and contributions to society. Each person should have the opportunity to secure a productive job and a comfortable life. We need to fill the many waiting jobs in STEM fields, for example, by providing the means for individuals of all backgrounds to develop the skills required for these jobs. We have to ensure that all have equal access to advance their skills.

I also see a need to maintain and improve the environment to benefit all in Maryland. First and foremost, we are the keepers of this planet and its resources. We are skilled at changing it and maintaining it as we see fit. We must, then, see fit to keep it clean, available, and useful. We need a healthy environment for our quality of life, and the Maryland businesses and industries that rely on it.

I want all Marylanders to be productive and valued members of our state. I want to find ways to allow each person’s potential to be realized so that they may continue to make our state a strong and proud one.

My Campaign is People Powered!

For the past six months, I have been invigorated and moved by the amount of support that I have received. This amazing support has come from a multitude of friends, family, and community leaders throughout all of District 12, where I have lived my entire life. Colleagues and friends that I have worked with, and have gained personal and professional relationships through my, over 30 year tenure in Howard County public schools. Additionally, the young students of local Universities who have given their time and enthusiasm to support our cause.

I have found and continue to find a myriad of progressive minded volunteers, young and old, who will give their time to making this candidacy into a successful campaign for office. These are college students, friends and colleagues who are like minded with me that we need people with a strong value system and a sense of the values of the community they will serve. These people are helping us realize our goals, because they see this campaign as a grassroots effort to put someone they trust into office. I am grateful to them, but despite my appreciation they seem to need no thanks, just an honest representative.

Our volunteers are focused on the most important part of our campaign: the ground game. We understand that the best way to win a campaign is by winning the hearts and minds of constituents. Throughout the week, I go out door to door with different members of the campaign to learn about the concerns voters have for our area. This will help me to win this election, but also to serve my constituents effectively in the legislature.

I look forward to serving our community as your state delegate. With your support, we can reach Annapolis together

About the Endorsement Process

The driving force behind all DFA endorsements is our members. We recognize that all politics is local and that what is considered progressive in Los Angeles may be very different from what's considered progressive in Louisville. For this reason, DFA does not have a litmus test of specific progressive positions for which a candidate must stand. Our endorsement is heavily weighted based on these questions:

• Will the candidate move the progressive movement forward in their community?
• Does the candidate have substantial support from our local members?
• Do the candidate's positions and policies fit into the broader progressive movement?
• Is the campaign people-powered and the candidate working to win?

If you have questions, or want to let us know about a candidate in your neighborhood, please call us at (802) 651-3200 or email us at [email protected] .